The Raiders’ defensive philosophy is about to be put to the ultimate test
· Yahoo Sports
Every game has felt like a brand new challenge for the Las Vegas Raiders so far, and each time they have passed the test with flying colors.
Early on, the NFL world was questioning the legitimacy of the Raiders beating up on a hapless Miami Dolphins team and a performance over the Los Angeles Chargers that is running the risk of depreciation. However, Sunday against the New Orleans Saints presented a new problem, as the Raiders experienced resistance and went down by double digits for the first time this season. Typically, this would have wound up in the loss column, creating a splash of cold water on what was looking like a red-hot team early on.
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Instead, the Raiders defense buckled down at the exact right moment.
The fourth quarter would see all four Saints drives end on turnovers. Malcolm Koonce’s strip sack on Saints quarterback Tyler Shough would set up the go-ahead touchdown to Cody White, while Hezekiah Masses’s third interception in two starts would see the Raiders extend the lead by way of Kirk Cousins’s touchdown to Brock Bowers.
“I would say, number one, is that he’s a competitor,” Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak had to say about Masses. “Very competitive young man. Sees the game very well. He’s got two starts under his belt and getting ready to play a very good offense. He’s going to get their best.”
Two more fumbles forced by Jeremy Chinn and Nakobe Dean later, and the Raiders had pulled off the improbable.Suddenly, the Raiders have created a defense designed to make plays on the ball and set their offense up in manageable positions.
Through three weeks of the season, the Raiders defense leads the league with nine total takeaways and five fumbles, as well as tied with four other teams in the league with four interceptions.
“We’re just trying to be ball-aware,” said cornerback Eric Stokes. “Just try to stay on top of that. Just know for a fact that pretty much any given ball is my ball. It ain’t no 50/50 ball, and even if the running back got it, the first person in hit him, the second person punch it.”
While Kubiak and the Raiders are more focused on the challenge that is in front of them, continued success will reveal that there is a foundation to build off of.
To that point, the philosophy of staying present bodes well for who is next on the schedule for the Silver and Black.
The Kansas City Chiefs are next up for the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, and the battle between the two AFC West rivals carries more weight this time around than in seasons past. Instead of a clear gap separating the two teams, they are two of only five remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. As a result, the Raiders can expect themselves to receive the support of a raucous and rejuvenated Raider Nation.
However, what defines the matchup is more than just a battle for divisional supremacy, but the challenge the Raiders defense will have to keep their turnover-happy ways going.
Not only do the Chiefs boast the second-most prolific offense in the league with 416.3 yards per game (only the Los Angeles Rams have more), but they are also far from turnover-prone. Through two games, the Chiefs have recorded only two giveaways, and both of them being interceptions. Even then, Patrick Mahomes has managed to stay in the top five with 812 passing yards and seven touchdowns, so there is no fear in moving the ball downfield.
“I think he’s certainly fun to watch and sets a great standard for quarterback play across our league,” said Cousins about his opposing counterpart.
“If they were to put up a lot of points, then you got to keep up. You also know that, if you were to get ahead, that no lead is safe. You’re just aware of how capable they are at any moment to score points and make it hard on you as a team, so a lot of respect there and they’ve proven it and earned that over many years. It’ll be a great challenge for us on Sunday.”
However, while Mahomes is the known quantity on the Chiefs, another aspect that has contributed to their return to form is one Kubiak is more than familiar with.
The Chiefs now find themselves with one of the best rushing offenses in the league, spearheaded by former Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III. Last year’s Super Bowl MVP, Walker put together a 1,000-yard season under Kubiak in 2025, and he currently leads the league with 360 rushing yards in three games. He is currently on pace to shatter his career highs with over 2,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns which, while it is unlikely that such a historic season plays out, exemplifies just what Walker has brought to the Chiefs so far this season.
“Kenneth is a tremendous back,” said Kubiak. “He’s playing as good as anybody in the league right now, and we have to stop him. He’s a really good player.”
The new faces have brought out a new side of the Raiders defense, one that fans have not been accustomed to seeing in some time.
On Sunday, however, the NFL at large will get the opportunity to see how it fares against a longstanding member of its elite.